Accrual to Acquire Puzzle, Expanding Its AI Platform into Client Accounting Services

The deal brings Puzzle's AI-native ledger and close technology, along with founder Sasha Orloff and the team behind its accounting-firm products, into Accrual.

The acquisition is Accrual's first since its February 2026 launch and accelerates its expansion across accounting firm service lines.

SAN FRANCISCO, September 02, 2026--Accrual, the intelligence layer for modern accounting firms, today announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Puzzle's accounting-firm technology and business, including its AI-native ledger and month-end close products. As part of the deal, Puzzle founder and CEO Sasha Orloff and members of the Puzzle team will join Accrual.

The acquisition expands Accrual beyond tax preparation and into client accounting services (CAS), advancing the company's ambition to give firms one platform across tax, audit, client accounting, and advisory work.

Accrual launched in February 2026 with $75 million in funding led by General Catalyst. Since then, the platform has been adopted by firms including Armanino, Aprio, H&R Block, Creative Planning, BMSS, Stephano Slack, and several other Top 100 firms.

Founded by Sasha Orloff, Puzzle has built an AI-native accounting workspace centered on its ledger, AI Close, Cowork, and Chat products. Puzzle serves more than 7,000 startups, small businesses, and accounting firms. Accrual has also relied on Puzzle to run its own books since early in the company's history.

The transaction brings Puzzle's accounting-firm technology and team into Accrual, accelerating a client accounting services roadmap already underway. Together, the teams can direct more product and engineering investment toward modernizing client accounting and advisory work, giving the profession a faster path from isolated AI tools to production workflows built around firm methodology and review. Puzzle will continue to operate independently for startups and small businesses that use its AI-native general ledger and accounting platform directly. The structure gives each business a clear mandate: Accrual is built for accounting firms and the clients they serve, while Puzzle continues supporting its established base of businesses.

"From the beginning, our ambition has been to give accounting firms one intelligence layer across tax, audit, client accounting, and advisory, rather than another disconnected tool," said Cosmin Nicolaescu, co-founder and CEO of Accrual. "Puzzle has built exceptional ledger and close technology, and Sasha and his team have a rare understanding of both accounting work and the software required to improve it. Together, we can bring production-ready AI to CAS faster and help firms modernize a critical part of how they operate."